NGO welcomes smoking ban decision in government offices of Goa

Panaji: The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication on Wednesday welcomed a recent decision of the Goa Health Ministry to declare government offices and buildings in the state tobacco-free.

General secretary of the anti-tobacco organisation, Goa-based oncologist Dr Shekhar Salkar said that the ban will "help to curb the proliferation of smoking as well as the use of other tobacco products in the State".

On May 27 this year, the state health ministry had banned the use of tobacco in all government offices and buildings as part of the central government's 'Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat' campaign.

All the government departments are required to submit a compliance report to the Directorate of Health Services by June 30.

"Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2 shows 9.7 per cent of adults in Goa consume tobacco in some form or the other. This move will surely curtail the tobacco consumption," Salkar said.